The 'tramezzino' sandwich
celebrated its 90th birthday in Italy Friday, as a survey
revealed it is now a more popular lunchtime meal than pasta or
pizza.
The origins of the tramezzino, which is usually made with
two pieces of white bread with the crusts cut off, can be traced
back to the caffè Mulassano in Turin.
It was there that the Italian writer Gabriele D'Annunzio,
observing the shape of the sandwich that he was biting into,
said it resembled the 'tramezze', meaning partition walls, of
his home in the countryside.
The tramezzino has become increasingly popular in recent
years thanks to the growing number of Italians who have
abandoned a traditional long lunch and now opt for on-the-go
lunchtime meals.
Some 34% of Italians eat a tramezzino or a panino for
lunch, according to Fipe Confcommercio, which represents retail
and catering businesses. It comes ahead of pizza (33,8%) and a
simple plate of pasta (29,8%).
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